CHAPTER 41: HEAVEN IS HELL
(Severus POV)
"There is something I would like to show you," said a silver-haired girl, as she opened the door…
It was Tuesday. Classes had proceeded normally, and it was an uneventful day, except for two significant ones, one of which was the fact that Slughorn once again made another attempt to recruit Ilya to his Slug Club (Persistent one, isn't he?), which, according to her story, she avoided, by asking Rose to take her flask of Potion to the Potions Masters while she slipped out of the classroom. And the other…
It was two in the afternoon. Severus and his friends were once again in their hidden retreat on the fourth floor. And this time, Ilya had shown them another one of the chambers.
At first the two of them were anxious. They did not know how Alice and Rose would react once they saw it…
It was another room, one of the six which was connected to the entrance chamber which had now been turned into the Tiger Dojo.
A room which was devoted to the study of the different forms of magecraft. A magus' workshop.
Like the other room, it was also originally empty. Now, with some effort, the chamber has now become entirely different.
The room, as far as Severus could tell, seemed to have become a combination of a Potion Master's laboratory and a blacksmith's workshop. Test tubes, flasks, beakers, measuring instruments of all sorts, as well as some cutting knives designed for chopping ingredients can be seen in an orderly fashion. However, what would get people's attention the most, would probably be the things that were floating around…
There were swords… about a dozen of them, suspended in mid-air… and the raven-haired young man had no doubt as to where they came from…
Originally, Ilya had told Severus that she had been planning to set up a workshop at Spinner's End. However, due to the lack of necessary space, and perhaps also the fact that she focused on teaching Severus magecraft while she in turn learned the magic of his world, she did not do so.
Yes, this was one of Ilya's most well-kept secrets…
"I never knew you were an alchemist Ilya…"
"… back at home, we have a room even larger than this one, devoted to alchemy…"
"… Frank's Uncle Algae also has one, though his workshop is full of toads… he likes toads…"
"I see…" said the silver-haired girl, nodding.
Severus could not help but sigh in relief, and even though his girlfriend's voice seemed monotonous, he could tell that she was relieved as well…
For some reason or another, neither Rose nor Alice seemed to have been too affected by what Ilya had shown them. True, they seemed mildly surprised, but aside from that, everything was normal. Apparently, there were magical workshops in their world that was similar to the one which Ilya constructed.
"… still, you should be careful, though," said Alice, as the group returned to the main chamber to have their dinner, her hand slowly making its way to the food which Ilya had made for them. "I heard that nasty things can happen if… EEK!"
"Oh, sorry…" said Ilya sheepishly, and she was about to place a transparent glass jar into her bag, when…
"Ilya, can I borrow this?" inquired Rose in calm voice, as she took the jar from the silver-haired girl's hand before she could put it away.
Severus gulped, as the blue-haired girl began tossing the glass container, containing a brown creature, to and fro into the air…
"H-hey, what do you think you're doing?" said the black-haired female nervously.
"I never knew you were afraid of rodents, Alice," said Rose, a beast like grin forming on her face.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about," replied the other female.
"Just make sure you don't let it out, okay?" sighed the white-haired girl, who also seemed to be enjoying the show…
"Sure thing, Ilya," replied the blue-haired girl, who had the look of someone who was ready to pounce on her prey. "Now, then, where were we…?"
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" screamed Alice, and she ran as fast as she could, while the girl carrying the jar was hot on her tail. If one would remember the story of a certain someone who had his mansion built in a circular fashion so that the devil could not corner him when he came to collect his soul, it could be said that the current situation was similar…
Still, Severus could not help but feel amused, not at the fact that Alice was screaming like a little girl (although technically, she is a girl), but at the predicament of the creature that was currently trapped inside the glass jar that was placed under an Unbreakable Charm, getting tossed around…
-BREAK-
(James POV)
James Potter and Sirius Black were not having a good day. Ever since they first noted that their friend Remus was acting strangely, the other three Marauders decided to stalk and try to dig dirt on the people which they suspect, with good reason, to be the ones responsible for Moony's odd behavior.
To proceed with their plans, the three decided that one of them should keep track of the four whenever they had no classes, and Peter was the one chosen for the task. It was only natural, after all. Wormtail's rat animagus form was ideal for espionage. With his small size and ability to squeeze into very small places, his ability was perfect for the job. It would be almost impossible for him to get caught…
And almost impossible was indeed the right term for it…
"What do we do now, Prongs?" inquired the dog animagus seriously, as he and his stag animagus friend sat in the Gryffindor Common room, deep in thought, as they read the blue paper letter that was snuck into James' bag, over and over again, with a picture attached to it...
I am currently in possession of the creature shown in the photograph.
If you want it back, come to the Astronomy Tower tomorrow at 5:00am.
I'll return it in exchange for your Invisibility Cloak. Do not wear it.
Signed
Archer
The two Marauders actually shouted loudly in fear and shock when they first saw the photograph. It was the picture of a mouse inside a jar… a familiar, brown mouse… and the two knew full well who it was…
In truth, at the moment, James still wanted to scream and run around like crazy. He was not sure of what he should do. Yet he also knew that panicking would not solve their problem. Temporarily removing Snivellus and his friends from his line of thought, the stag animagus focused on the situation at hand…
This Archer person, whoever he was, was well-informed. Ever since the Battle of the Sorting Ceremony, the man using this pen name has kept a low profile. After the blast that he had initiated at the Great Hall, the Marauders had actually expected him to strike again, but surprisingly he has not.
Originally, James and Sirius thought that Archer's true identity was Derreck Wilkes. The slimy snake, after all, was the one who started the whole thing. But after successfully launching pranks on him in the past couple of weeks, they seriously began to doubt if it was indeed the case, perhaps it was just a fluke…
And now their suspicion that their assumption had been wrong has been confirmed. Because this guy, Archer, knows about the Invisibility Cloak. And as far as James knew, there were only four people in Hogwarts who knew about it: Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and himself, Prongs. Ruling out the possibility that one of them was responsible,if ever someone else found out about it, the only person likely to do so would likely be… a fellow Gryffindor.
Yes, perhaps one of their dorm mates caught site of them carelessly wearing it before going out of the portrait hole, and thus wanted the Cloak for himself, by taking Wormtail hostage…
James could not help but smile slightly at the fact that entered his mind. Based on the note, Archer, whoever he was, did not seem to know that the rat he has abducted was actually Peter Pettigrew, for which the stag animagus was thankful for. The three of them, after all, were unregistered animagi, which was illegal, and was equivalent to a decade in Azkaban. If the man knew… they would, literally, be in deeper trouble, especially Peter, as Archer would have something hanging over him specially.
James and Sirius continued pondering to themselves, trying to think of the best plan to save their friend, and getting revenge on the kidnapper while they were at it…
-BREAK-
(Peter POV)
A certain small, brown, creature, was trembling inside a small jar that was his prison.
It was the worst, both as a human, and as a mouse, experience that Peter Pettigrew had to go through in his entire life.
Just like the day before, Wormtail had been tasked to do surveillance on Severus Snape and his friends. Being a rat animagus, while still nervous and fidgety, Peter had enough confidence that he would not get caught. Nobody in the school, after all, knew that he and his friends were animagi, and thus by using the form of a small, harmless mouse, he was sure that he was safe.
And so, gathering up all the courage he could muster, he continued stalking Snivellus and company. The rat Animagus knew that his friends would be pleased. Soon they will have enough evidence on the greasy-haired former Slytherin's Dark activities, and have him expelled… This was the last thought that entered Wormtail's head, before he passed out… and when he woke up…
He found himself in the situation he was presently in.
An Animagus, after all, when they are in animal mode, have simpler and less complex emotions to when they are human, the instinct of the form affecting it. And thus, according to what he sensed as a rat, Peter Pettigrew felt…
That he was in mortal danger…
His world was black, he couldn't hear anything, as if there was some sort of spell placed around him that prevented his senses from working properly. After charging aimlessly at it for a little while, Peter noticed that whatever it was he was trapped in was made of glass. In desperation, he would have transformed back into his human form, if not for…
"I've put an Unbreakable Charm on the jar…" said a familiar female voice cheerfully.
Peter was stopped dead on his tracks. If he tried to turn back to his larger form while he was in a jar imbued with an Unbreakable Charm… it was too much to even think about. That was the one and only sentence which he heard, before all his senses were shut off once again… well, most anyway… For some reason, he still had the sense of touch, and it was a most unpleasant experience, as he felt his prison being tossed around, as he painfully bumped to and fro into the glass…
Seconds… minutes…hours…days… Peter had no idea how much time had passed. All he knew was that for him, it felt like an eternity… an eternity of darkness…
Then, all of a sudden, there was light. Finally he could see again.
"Your friends will be coming to rescue you soon," said the same female voice that spoke to him earlier. Peter turned around the jar to see who it was and saw…
"SQUEAK! SQUEAK!" the rat animagus squeaked at the top of its voice, as he thought D-D-DEAR M-M-MERLIN!
In desperation, Wormtail banged at the transparent glass jar with his small rat paws, but it was all in vain.
His friends were walking right into a trap…
and he was serving as the bait…
-BREAK-
(James POV)
"HUR… MMM?!" began a dog-like voice loudly, but soon found his mouth being covered by the hand of his messy-haired friend.
"Shhh… keep it down!" whispered James in a snarl, as they, under the Invisibility Cloak, moved as swiftly and as carefully as they could, down the stairs, checking his watch, which indicated that it was a quarter before five in the morning.
To say that James Potter was angry would be an understatement. The truth was, he was furious… and not at Archer or anyone else for the matter… but at himself…
In their panic the night before, the stag animagus and his dog animagus friend had overlooked something…
Why hadn't I thought of this? thought James bitterly, as he scanned the Marauder's Map.
Yes. The Marauder's Map. It gives more or less the exact location of every single person in Hogwarts. It was a handy tool which the Marauders invented. The Map never lies, and the only way for it not to be able to locate a person would be either if the person is not within the Boundaries of Hogwarts, or if it was a place in the castle which the Marauders have not yet explored, and thus have not yet been added to it.
According to the note that Archer sent, the place would be the top of the Astronomy Tower, where they would commence with the exchange…
Apparently, the man plans to double cross them…
James looked at the Map grimly. With it, they will be able to find out the identity of this Archer character. Instead of one of the students, however, Filch and his cat were patrolling the area, and this odd behavior meant that the caretaker must have gotten a tip that someone who was up to no good would be climbing the tower early in the morning…
Thought you could outsmart us, eh? thought James to himself with satisfaction.
The two Animagi were now on the third floor, in front of the entrance to the girl's bathroom, where the dot of their Peter was stationed. James could now put two and two together, and he did not like…
Archer, whoever he was, never planned to return their rat animagus friend to them in the first place. He was probably hoping that James and Sirius would go by the letter and go to the Astronomy Tower without wearing the Invisibility Cloak, which would have ended up with them getting caught by Filch, and the Cloak would get confiscated. The worse part however… much, much worse… was Peter's predicament…
Wormtail has been bound, by whatever means, inside a girl's bathroom. Being a mouse at the moment, the reaction that the girls would have when they saw him would have… terrifying consequences…
James and Sirius knew full well that their friend could turn back into human form at any time, but the fact that he hasn't (Confirmed by the fact that Peter's chatbox indicated that he was making squeaking sounds.) meant that to do so would be difficult… Archer probably placed some kind of indestructibility spell, probably an Unbreakable Charm, on the container, as a precaution, and Peter was wise enough to just play along… Yes, Archer was quite the tactician…
Very clever… very clever indeed… but not good enough… thought the stag Animagus. Unfortunately for Archer, his plans were about to fall apart…
Double checking the map to make sure that there was no one else inside, James and Sirius entered the bathroom…
"WORMY!" shouted Sirius, as the two removed the Invisibility Cloak from themselves, and ran towards a jar on the floor, which contained a familiar brown mouse…
"Thank Merlin," gasped James in relief, as he opened the jar to let the rat Animagus out, who immediately returned to his human form, looking badly shaken. Fortunately for them, Archer had left Peter near the entrance, probably to give the half-awake girls an early morning, shocking wake-up call… not that that will happen… his plans had now been foiled…
"Alright, Pete, can you tell us what happened?" asked Sirius.
"T-trap… n-need… get…escape…" whimpered their friend weakly, who was sweating heavily.
"Hmmm?" mused James to himself. He could understand why Peter would have been scared out of his wits. After what he had experienced, it was only natural. Still…
"Trap? What do you mean tr…" began Sirius, but his words were drowned as…
SLAM!
The entrance to the bathroom had now shut close…
"Too l-late…" moaned the squeaky voice of the rat Animagus…
"What in the name of…" muttered James, for Peter had returned into his mouse form then hid inside one of Prong's robes, but did not finish his sentence, as…
"Ah… that was nice…" said a female voice.
"A hot bath definitely is the best during a cold morning…" replied another girly voice, as footsteps were
For a split second, James and Sirius froze on the spot… as realization dawned on them… Then…
"Grab the Cloak, Paddy, hurry!" hissed James, keeping his voice as quiet as possible, as the footsteps were getting closer…
"It's not here!" the dog animagus growled back, fear in his eyes…
Panicking, the two Marauders rushed towards the door…
"Why won't it budge?!"
Unfortunately, it refused to open. No matter what they did, even after using all the unlocking charms they knew, the door remained closed, like a solid wall…
"… I'll see you in class th… ?!"
James felt it. The air around them, while already cold, became even chillier than it already was. Knowing there was nothing else for it, as if on reflex, Prongs and Padfoot turned away from the door…
"Black?... Potter?"
There was about twenty of them. Twenty females, who were wearing nothing except for their underwear, each one with a towel around themselves.
Had the situation been different, James would have been sure that he was in heaven. The sweet smell of shampoo filled his nostrils, and fortunately for his friend Sirius, who had a keener sense of smell than many, he would have enjoyed it even more…
"Hey, there girls," said James sheepishly, trying to keep his tone calm and conversational, knowing it won't do any good. He knew it was futile, but it was worth a try. "We were just wondering…"
"KYAAAAAA!"
However, James was no longer able to finish his sentence, as the girls began throwing everything they could get their hands on, their bathing paraphernalla, soap, bathroom mops, etc. at Padfoot and Prongs, Wormtail squirming uncomfortably inside the stag Animagus' pocket…
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Yeah, another chapter out.
Yeah, I've been reading the reviews, and someone commented that my use of nasuverse was blasphemous... well, if you're talking about the Tiger Dojo thing, you could say that, though I don't think I did so in too bad a way...
As for the comment about Ilya not having set up her magus workshop, well she has actually. The secret hideout which they found on the fourth floor, as indicated, had seven rooms after all, and as for what's in them... it would be revealed one at a time...
Flu is really persistent, though fortunately I'm recovering thanks to a certain someone... I just hope she doesn't catch it because of me... But enough about that...
Anyway, like always, I hope you enjoy this chapter...
Later then, people...